As Medical Practitioners we have an obligation and duty to prescribe your medication safely. The complexity of modern diseases and modern-day polypharmacy mean that safe prescribing is of even more importance than it used to be. Many drugs now require a regular blood test. To prescribe safely, assess for efficacy, side effects, and ensure the medication is being taken correctly, and at an adequate dose- a dedicated appointment for monitoring is required. As a guide this may be yearly for simple prescriptions, e.g. thyroxine or 3 monthly for chronic medical problems requiring closer monitoring or improvement in control e.g. diabetes. If this should cause you financial problems, we do not want you to miss your medications. Please tell us as there may be opportunities for your consultation to be subsidised. If you are eligible, please apply for a Community Services Card (CSC) as this will currently reduce your consultation fees to $19.50. If you struggle to attend the GP, because of difficulty travelling or work commitments, it may in some cases be possible to make a phone review. Please ask. If there are difficulties making a timely appointment a prescription to tide you over until your review can be made at the doctors discretion. We cannot, in the current climate, offer a free service. General Practice is a small business, and your fees go towards the cost of our overheads, rent, staff wages etc. We do, however, strive to keep our fees as low as we can and are happy to work with you to get you the medical help you and your whānau need. The Barrington Medical Team